Double-lift open-shed jacquard machine

ABSTRACT

The lifting hook is provided with a pair of intermediately positioned hooks which enable coupling of the lifting hook to one or the other of the draw knives. The lifting hook has a retaining hook at the upper end to engage a claw on the support and either a similar hook to engage a claw on the lower edge of the support or a stop plate for engaging an apertured board through which the lifting hook passes. The intermediate hook on the same side as the retaining hook at the upper end of the lifting hook is longer than the opposite knife engaging hook.

United States Patent Brenner et al.

[451 May 20, 1975 DOUBLE-LIFT OPEN-SHED JACQUARD MACHINE [75] Inventors: Wolfgang Brenner; Gunter Feier;

Antonius Vinnemann, all of Stuttgart. Germany [73] Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Ltd., Winterthur.

Switzerland [22] Filed: May 17,1973

[21] Appl No.: 361,035

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 19, 1972 Switzerland 7467/72 [52] US. Cl. 139/59 51 Int. Cl. D03c 3/06 [58] Field of Search 139/55, 59, 65, 68; 66/25, 66/50 R, 75

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,868,232 l/l959 Foster et al 139/59 3,499,473 3/1970 Fend et al 139/59 3,747,647 7/1973 Bergmann 139/59 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 622,l 12 11/1935 Germany 139/59 Primary ExuminerHenry S. Jaudon Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Keny0n & Kenyon Reilly, Carr & Chapin [57] ABSTRACT The lifting hook is provided with a pair of intermediately positioned hooks which enable coupling of the lifting hook to one or the other of the draw knives. The lifting hook has a retaining hook at the upper end to engage a claw on the support and either a similar hook to engage a claw on the lower edge of the support or a stop plate for engaging an apertured board through which the lifting hook passes. The intermediate hook on the same side as the retaining hook at the upper end of the lifting hook is longer than the opposite knife engaging hook.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU MAY 2 0 I975 3.884.272 SHEET 10F 5 v PAIENTEDMAY 20 ms 3. 884. 272

VII/IA 'r/ PATENTEBMAYZO 1975 SHEET 5 [IF 5 DOUBLE-LIFT OPEN-SHED JACQUARD MACHINE This invention relates to a double-lift open-shed jacquard machine and particularly to a lifting hook of such a machine.

Jacquard machines generally use reciprocating draw knives to raise and lower lifting hooks connected to the heddles of a loom. In the case of a double-lift openshed jacquard machine, it has been known to use double lifting hooks each of which has two arms interconnected by a web at the bottom and with each arm hav ing a hook at the top to engage one of the draw knives.

However, a double lifting hook of this kind is a relatively complicated item. Each jacquard needle for displacing the double lifting hook must be pivoted to the two arms of the double lifting hook. Further, because of the two arms, such a hook takes up a fairly large amount of space.

A double-lift open-shed Jacquard machine has also been known which uses a single lifting hook, for example, as described in German Patent No. 582,591. However, in this case, a complicated knife has been required. The knife has been constructed with hooks which extend for an equal distance to two sides in parallel to the double hooks. During operation, i.e. upon depression of the lifting hook, a second knife is allowed to extend over both sides of the double hook. Thus, one knife is not used to engage with one hook side while the other knife is used to engage with the other hook side. The form of construction thus, not only departs from the usual manner of building Jacquard machines but also is complicated and requires a relatively large space. Also, the lifting hooks cannot be disposed in close relation.

A further construction is known from French Patent No. 810,726 in which hooks of equal length are placed on both sides ofa lifting hook. However, the usual manner of operating with double lifting hooks has not been possible.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a double lifting hook for a jacquard machine which is of compact construction.

It is another object of the invention to provide a simple lifting hook for use as a double lifting hook in ajacquard machine.

Briefly, the invention provides a single lifting hook with a pair of hooks at an intermediate point for selective engagement with each of a pair of draw knives in a jacquard machine. This lifting hook is arranged with one pivot point within the machine so that only one jac quard needle is required for engagement.

Since the lifting hook is made as a single type, less space is required in the machine.

In order to maintain the usual method of operating and controlling the lifting hooks, i.e. depressing of the hooks, as in the use of Jacquard machines with double lifting hooks, the pair of hooks on the lifting hook are made of different lengths. That is, with the body of the lifting hook provided with a retaining hook at the upper end to catch onto or couple with a stationary part of the machine, the knife-engaging hook on the same side of the body as the retaining hook is made longer than the other hook. Thus, it is possible to allow a double-lift open-shed Jacquard machine to operate with a single lifting hook in the same way as hitherto machines with double lifting hooks. The lifting hooks can be arranged in such a way that in a position of rest, i.e. a non depressed position. each can be coupled to a knife so that depression still takes place at the same time in the operation cycle.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic view of a loom utilizing a jacquard machine having lifting hooks made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates to an enlarged scale parts of the loom and jacquard machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view ofa lifting hook of the invention on one of the draw knives of the jacquard machine of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates a view ofa lifting hook of the invention with a modified jacquard machine;

FIG 5 illustrates a diagrammatic view ofa control element used in the jacquard machine of FIG. I; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a diagrammatic view of another control element useful in the jacquard machine of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, ajacquard machine 1 is disposed immediately above a shed 2 within a loom of conventional structure. The loom comprises a warp beam 11, a breast beam 13 over which warp yarns 12 pass in the direction indicated by an arrow 54 while the machine is in operation, eyes or mails 21 of heddles 23 and a reed 39. Weft yarns are picked into the shed 2 by a gripper shuttle 35 and beaten up by the reed 39 at the fell 4 to form a cloth (fabric) 6. The cloth passes over a cloth takeup roller 15 and a guide roller 17 and is wound on a cloth beam 19.

The jacquard machine 1 has two draw knives 8, 9 for effecting movements of the heddles 23 to form the shed 2. In addition, a downwardly acting tension spring 25 and a lifting hook 14 adapted to be coupled with the knives 8, 9 act on each heddle: 23 as shown.

Referring to FIG. 2, each heddle 23 has a hook 24 at the upper end by which the heddle 23 is suspended in an eye of an associated lifting hook 14. The knives 8, 9 are constructed to rise and fall continuously and alternately and each carries a hook to engagea lifting hook 14. In this case, the jacquard machine is a doublelift open-shed machine. Each lifting hook 14 which is a single hook made as an elongate body passes through an opening in a stationary board 25' and carries two hooks 26, 27 at an intermediate point for selective engagement with the knives 8, 9 as well as a retaining hook 28 at the upper end for selective engagement with a retaining claw 29, 30 disposed on a stationary support beam 31 of the machine 1. The board 25', the claws 29, 30 and the support beam 31 each extend over the entire weaving width of the loom.

Referring to FIG. I, the jacquard machine 1 has a displacing means 16 at the top which serves to connect each lifting hook 14 to one or the other of the knives 8, 9. The displacing means 16 includes a selector mechanism l8 and a transmission mechanism 20.

Referring to FIG. 2, the selector mechanism 18 includes a large number of control elements such as flexing elements 33 each of which is mounted in the support beam 31 at one end 32. Each element 33 has a free bottom end 34 that can be moved left or right, as viewed, via an external field, e.g. an electric or magnetic field or via a change in temperature of the elements 33 by passing a current through each.

The transmission mechanism includes a pair of stationary rails 36, 38 which extend below the beam 31 and extend over the width of the loom. These rails 36, 38 support spaced apart pins 41 on each of which a slide block 41 is slidably mounted between the confines of the rails 36, 38. As shown in FIG. 6, each slide block 41 has a guide 44 in which a bendable elongate spring 43, e.g. a spring strip, is mounted. In addition, a guide slot 60 is provided in the block 4l to slidably receive a lifting hook 14 in a loose relation.

The bottom end 45 of each spring 43 is rolled and is rotatably mounted in a grate or apertured plate 46 which is mounted for reciprocating motion in a vertical direction and extends across the whole weaving width of the loom. The upper end of the spring 43 passes into an opening or slot 40 in the bottom of the beam 31 to abut or be spaced below the bottom end 34 of an element 33.

The selector mechanism 16 serves to move the control elements 33 into a particular position in accordance with a pattern or texture program while the transmission mechanism 20 transmits a movement to the lifting hooks in accordance with the position of the control elements 33.

Operation is as follows:

With the jacquard machine 1 in the position shown in FIG. 2, the hooks 27, 52 couple the lifting hook 14 to the rising draw knife 9. Also, the hook 28 and claw 29 couple the lifting hook 14 with the support beam 31. Shortly before knife 9 reaches its top reversal position, the grate 46 moves into its top position shown in FIG. 3 so that all the control elements 33 can be sensed by the springs 43. Since the control element 33 shown is in a blocking position in which the slot 40 in the beam 31 is covered, the spring 43 cannot rise in this region and so the spring 43 deflects into the bent position shown in FIG. 3. Consequently, the slide block 41 and the lifting hook 14 are pressed to the right.

In the case of a control element which is in a nonblocking position, the top end 50 of the spring 43 enters the slot 40 and the spring remains in its straight position and the associated lifting hook remains in its lefthand position. When the lifting hook 14 has been coupled with the knife 9 by means of the right-hand book 27, the hook 14 can be lowered by the spring 25, as the knife 9 descends, from the top right position of FIG. 3. When the spring 43 subsequently straightens, the lifting hook 14, because of its ready flexibility, moves into the bottom left position in which the hook 28 engages with the claw 30.

When the spring 43 moves into its straight position, the lifting hook 14 is in the left-hand position over the whole of its length, and so the hook 26 can be coupled with the knife 8.

Hook 26 which is on the same side as hook 28 is longer than hook 27. This allows the lifting hook 14, for example, being positioned in the top left" position in coupled relation with the hooks 28,29 to be uncoupled from the hooks 28,29 by means of an upwardly moving draw knife 8 or an upwardly rising draw knife 9 (Spring 43 being in the bent position) and thereafter guided into a bottom position.

Should uncoupling be accomplished via the draw knife 8, the hooks 26,51 should then be coupled shortly before bending of the spring 43. During a bending out of the spring 43, the hooks 26,51 have to remain coupled as the upper end of the hook 14 moves to the right. This is achieved by greater length of hook 26.

Should uncoupling be accomplished by the draw knife 9 the hooks 27,52 have to be movable over each other during bending out of the spring 43 and have to be coupled during further upward movement of the draw knife 9. This is achieved by the shorter length of hook 27.

During the bending of the spring 43, therefore, the hooks 26, 51 (during lifting of knife 8) must remain coupled and the hooks 27, 52 must (during lifting of knife 9) be coupable for the purpose of movable the hook 27 over the hooks 52 during the bending movement. This movement, of course, occurs in each operative cycle of the machine at the same time.

Since the coupling point for the hooks and claws 28, 29 or 28, 30 is above the displacing stroke associated with the slide lock 42, a correspondingly large deflection of the double hook 26, 27 is produced. The amount of deflection can be varied by appropriate action on the relationship of, on the one hand, the distance of the claw 29 or 30 from the slide block 42 to, on the other hand, the distance of the slide block 42 from the reversal points of the double hook 26, 27.

Referring to FIG. 4, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts as above, each single lifting hook 14a has a retaining disc or stop plate 81 at the bottom which prevents the lifting hook, when released by the draw knives 8a, 9a from dropping through the aperture 83 in the board 25 due to the action of the spring 25. Also, each draw knife 8a, 9a is provided with a hook 51, 52 at the bottom end to selectively engage the hooks 26, 27 of the lifter 14a. As shown, the selector mechanism 18 is mounted on a pair of stationary support beams 31, 31a which extend across the weaving width of the loom and are secured at each end to a baseplate 83. In addition, the selector mechanism 18 includes a control element for a lifter 14a such as a flexural member 33 which is clamped or otherwise secured in a region 32 of the support beam 31a. The selector mechanism 18 moves the control elements 33 into a particular position in accordance with a pattern program. In addition, the selector mechanism 18 includes a sensor 88 which is vertically reciprocally mounted between the beams 31, 31a. The sensor 88 is guided between two limit pins 87 which are disposed in slots 86 of the sensor 88 to move between a blocking position and a non-blocking position.

The sensor 88 carries three springs 96, 97, 98, two of which, 96, 97, are disposed in the path of the knives 8a, 9a. The other spring 98 bears against a surface 99 of the stationary support beam 31a to bias the sensor 88 downwardly upon deflection. In addition, the sensor 88 has a sensing surface 102 for abutting the control element 33 when the element 33 is in a vertical plane as shown in solid lines.

The transmission mechanism 20 includes a lever which is pivotally mounted on a pivot 84 secured in the baseplate 83 and which is secured to the lifting hook 14 in a yielding manner. The lever 85 carries a depending compression spring 89 which bears against a pin 91 disposed on the baseplate 83. This compression spring 89 serves to bias the spring 89 in counterclockwise direction, as viewed. The amount of pivoting of the lever 85 is limited, as shown, by a pin which is received in an arc-like slot in the lever 85. In addition, the lever 85 carries a spring 92 at the upper end which, in turn,

carries a guide member 94 at the top end. This guide member 94 has a slot 95 for guiding the lifting hook 14a while the spring 92 biases the guide member 94 and lifting hook 14a to the right as viewed. The guide member 94 also has a vertical surface 105 for selectively abutting a vertical sensor surface 106 on the lower end of the sensor 88.

The respective knives 8a, 9a are provided with surfaces for lifting the sensor 88 via the springs 96, 97 as well as surfaces for pivoting the lever 85. That is, one knife 80 is provided with a top end 101 for abutting the spring 96 as well as an inclined surface 103 for abutting a mating inclined surface 104 on the lever 85 during upward movement of the knife 8a. The other knife 9a is provided with a top end 107 for abutting the spring 97 as well as an inclined surface 108 for abutting a mating surface 109 on the lever 85 during upward travel.

The springs 96, 97 are adapted to lift the sensor 88 when abutted by the knives 8a, 9a while the spring 98 is adapted to return, i.e. lower, the sensor 88 after downward movement of a knife. The size and characteristics of the springs 96, 97 are such that they can overcome the force of the spring 98 when deflected under the applied force of a knife 8a, 9a.

The construction shown in FIG. 4 operates as follows:

During the rise of knife 8a and the simultaneous fall of knife 90, a pick-off or signal generator controls the element 33. The assumption is that element 33 moves into the solid-line straight position. Shortly before the top reversal or dead center position of the knife 8a, the top end 101 of the knife 8a strikes the spring 96, and so the sensor 88 moves into the sensing position which is shown in which the sensing surface 102 strikes the element 33. Because of the element 33, the sensor 88 must remain in a low position. In the highest phase of the rise of the knife 8a, the inclined surface 103 strikes the inclined surface 104 of the lever 85 to pivot the lever clockwise as viewed. However, since the surface 105 of the guide member 94 abuts the sensor surface 106, the guide member 94 and the lifting hook 14a remains in the left position shown. Knife 8a is now in the top reversal position shown in FIG. 2 and the hook 28 has been lifted above the claw 29. Shuttle 35 now makes a pick, the jacquard machine 1 operating as a double-lift open-shed machine.

During the next fall of the knife 8a and rise of the knife 9a, the lever 85 pivots counterclockwise and the hook 28 and claw 29 engage with one another. The element 33 is then re-actuated. Assuming that the element 33 moves into the chain-line bent position 33a, when the top end 107 of the knife 9a strikes the spring 97, the sensor 88 rises. As a result, the vertical surface 106 is therefore above the surface 105 of the guide member 94. When the inclined surface 108 of the knife 9a then strikes the surface 109 of the lever 85, the lever pivots clockwise. Consequently, the guide member 94 and the central and bottom zone of the lifting hook 14a is disengaged at the hook 28 and claw 29 and the top part of the lifting hook 14a moves into the right" position. There is another pick in the top position of knife 9a. The movements then continue in a similar fashion.

As shown in FIG. 4, the spacing of the lever 85, sensor 88, knifes 8a, 8b and springs 96, 97 are such that each knife 8a, 8b abuts a spring 96, 97 and, thus, the sensor 88 before the inclined surface 103, 108 of the knifes 80,911 abut the lever 85. In this way, the sensing movement of the sensor 88 relative to the control element occurs before pivoting of the lever 85.

As shown in FIG. 5, the control element 33 can be eg a magnetostrictive element, comprising two strips 67, 69 which expand differently from one another in an applied magnetic field, so that bending occurs. Such a field can be produced by means of a winding 71 which can be connected via a switch 72 to a power supply 73 or else can be connected to the appropriate part of a programmer.

In an alternative form, shown in FIG. 6, an electrostrictive (piezoelecric) flexural oscillator 65 is used, in the form e.g. of two strips of different material, the two materials expanding differently when an electric field is applied to the two outer electrodes 73a. Due to the different expansions of the materials, the oscillator 65 takes up a bent or flexed position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a double-lift open-shed jacquard machine having a pair of vertically movable draw knives for reciprocating between two reversal positions, a plurality of lifting hooks for coupling with a respective draw knife in each of the two reversal positions of said draw knives, and a stationary part having a retaining claw; a vertically disposed single lifting hook having a pair of hooks located on opposite sides for selective engagement with a respective draw knife for movement of said retaining hook vertically between a top position and a bottom position, each said hook having a depending stem, and a retaining hook for selectively engaging said claw, one of said pair of hooks being located on the same side as said retaining hook and having said stem thereof of longer length than said stern of the other of said pair of hooks.

2. In a double-lift open-shed jacquard machine as set forth in claim 1, a board having an aperture therein for passage of said lifting hook in both of said positions, said lifting hook having a stop plate secured thereto for engaging said board with said lifting hook in said bottom position to prevent dropping of said lifting hook through said aperture.

3. A single lifting hook for ajacquard machine having an elongated body, a pair of hooks extending from opposite sides of said body, each said hook having a depending stem, a retaining hook and an eye at a lower end for engaging a heddle, and wherein one of said pair of hooks is located on the same side as said retaining hook and having said stem thereof of longer length than said stem of the other of said pair of hooks.

4. A lifting hook as set forth in claim 3 wherein said body has a stop plate secured below said pair of hooks.

5. In a double-lift open-shed jacquard machine having a pair of vertically movable draw knives, and a stationary part having a first retaining claw at an upper end and a second retaining claw at a lower end; a vertically disposed single lifting hook having a pair of hooks located on opposite sides for selective engagement with a respective draw knife for movement of said retaining hook vertically between a top position and a bottom position, and a retaining hook for selectively engaging with said first claw in said top position and for selectively engaging withsaid second claw in said bottom position, one of said pair of hooks being located on the same side as said retaining hook and being of longer length than the other of said pair of hooks. 

1. In a double-lift open-shed jacquard machine having a pair of vertically movable draw knives for reciprocating between two reversal positions, a plurality of lifting hooks for coupling with a respective draw knife in each of the two reversal positions of said draw knives, and a stationary part having a retaining claw; a vertically disposed single lifting hook having a pair of hooks located on opposite sides for selective engagement with a rEspective draw knife for movement of said retaining hook vertically between a top position and a bottom position, each said hook having a depending stem, and a retaining hook for selectively engaging said claw, one of said pair of hooks being located on the same side as said retaining hook and having said stem thereof of longer length than said stem of the other of said pair of hooks.
 2. In a double-lift open-shed jacquard machine as set forth in claim 1, a board having an aperture therein for passage of said lifting hook in both of said positions, said lifting hook having a stop plate secured thereto for engaging said board with said lifting hook in said bottom position to prevent dropping of said lifting hook through said aperture.
 3. A single lifting hook for a jacquard machine having an elongated body, a pair of hooks extending from opposite sides of said body, each said hook having a depending stem, a retaining hook and an eye at a lower end for engaging a heddle, and wherein one of said pair of hooks is located on the same side as said retaining hook and having said stem thereof of longer length than said stem of the other of said pair of hooks.
 4. A lifting hook as set forth in claim 3 wherein said body has a stop plate secured below said pair of hooks.
 5. In a double-lift open-shed jacquard machine having a pair of vertically movable draw knives, and a stationary part having a first retaining claw at an upper end and a second retaining claw at a lower end; a vertically disposed single lifting hook having a pair of hooks located on opposite sides for selective engagement with a respective draw knife for movement of said retaining hook vertically between a top position and a bottom position, and a retaining hook for selectively engaging with said first claw in said top position and for selectively engaging with said second claw in said bottom position, one of said pair of hooks being located on the same side as said retaining hook and being of longer length than the other of said pair of hooks. 